Why I Always Choose an Aisle Seat Over a Window Seat

When it comes to flying, I’m almost always an aisle seat kind of guy.

For me, I like to stretch my legs, have easy access to the restroom, and have the ability to rummage through my bags in the overhead bin. When there are only window seats left, I’m a bit of a grump as I love my coveted aisle seat!

In this article, I’ll share my reasons for why I love sitting on the aisle, how you can choose these seats, and how to make your travels more comfortable!

Aircraft Types

For the purposes of referring to an aisle seat, I’ll be talking about planes that have both a window and aisle configuration. If you’re lucky enough to be on a wide-body plane that has business class seats with direct aisle access or on American’s A321T aircraft in first class where every seat in the premium cabin is an aisle seat, you’re in the best possible position, since you get both a window and an aisle!

Most domestic narrow-body aircraft have one of 2 configurations: 2 first class seats on each side of the aisle or 3 economy seats on each side of the aisle. This would be for an aircraft such as the Boeing 737 or Airbus A321.

On some smaller regional jets, such as the Embraer 175 or Canadair Regional Jet 700, you may find 1 first class seat on one side with 2 first class seats on the other, and then 2 economy class seats side-by-side on either side of the aisle.

Whatever aircraft you’re on, if I’m in a row with a seat next to me, my choice is always the aisle.

Easier To Access the Restroom

When you gotta go, you gotta go. The last thing you want is to have to hop over people when you need to use the restroom, or, worse, wake up a seatmate in the middle of the night so you can ask them to get up to make it easier for you to get out.

One of the primary reasons I love aisle seats is that I have unobstructed access to the restroom and don’t have to worry about hopping over a neighbor. If you’re on a plane where there are 3 economy class seats in a row and you’re seated by the window, it’s likely you’ll have to ask almost everyone in your row to step into the aisle so you can get out. For anyone who has been in this position before, it’s almost like a game of gymnastics!

That said, one of the responsibilities of sitting in an aisle seat is allowing your seatmate to get up to use the bathroom without any trouble, so while it’s easier to access it on your own, you still need to be flexible enough to let others go, too!

Another thing to note is that some people tend to have to go to the bathroom much more frequently than others. If you have an active bladder, be sure to choose an aisle so you are proactively putting yourself in a position where you’ll least disturb other passengers.

Easier Access to Overhead Bins

When you’re in an aisle seat, you have much easier access to the items that you store in the overhead bins, which is especially handy if you’re seated in a bulkhead row. In the bulkhead, all items must go into the overhead bins, and nothing can be stored at your feet, allowing easier evacuation access. If you’re in a bulkhead seat, all of your items are stored in the overhead bins, and if you intend on accessing them, you’ll have a much easier time doing so if you’re on the aisle.

If you’re not at a bulkhead seat, you can store items under the seat in front of you, though you could also store these items in an overhead bin. It’s great to be able to grab your laptop, a pair of headphones, or miscellaneous items in your bag without disturbing your neighbor!

Easier To Stand Up

When it comes to easier overhead bin access, one of my favorite reasons for grabbing an aisle seat is being able to stand up once the plane parks at the gate. When the seatbelt sign comes off, I can open my seatbelt, stand up, grab my bags from the overhead bin, and be ready to walk off the plane.

Those who have had a window seat before know how you need to stay seated for a long while, especially if you’re seated toward the back of the plane. While it can take a while for everyone to exit, at least if you’re on the aisle, you can stand up, collect your belongings, and stretch your legs a bit!

I also find that I’m less forgetful of items when I’m in an aisle seat. Because I can grab my bags quickly, I am able to methodically stow my headphones, iPad, and other personal belongings without being rushed. When you’re in a window seat, by the time you’re able to reach the aisle, you almost feel in a hurry so as not to hold up anyone else behind you, and there have been a few times when this has caused me to leave valuables on board!

More Room To Stretch Out

When you’re in an aisle seat, you normally have the same legroom in front of you as in all other seats. However, one thing these seats do have is the ability for you to stretch your legs in and out of the aisle, which can be a huge blessing on a long overnight flight.

While you can’t necessarily keep your legs extended into the aisle for all hours of the flight so as not to trip anyone, it’s easy enough to spread your legs out to keep your blood flowing. Because of this, you have much more room than the person in the middle or window seat.

While this legroom is valuable on any flight, it’s particularly important if you’re on a red-eye flight (so you can try to get comfortable as much as possible) and long international flights, especially those from the U.S. to places like Australia or Asia.

If you’re a taller person, like myself, having an aisle seat is incredibly valuable. The legroom is the same, but because of the curvature of most planes, the window seat can feel extremely tight, and the middle seat, well, you know, is uncomfortable no matter what. Taller passengers can lean out into the aisle without having to disturb their neighbors, though do need to be mindful of passengers and crew walking up and down the aisles and carts during food and beverage service times.

When I’m seated in a window seat, I find myself having to lean into whoever is in the middle seat, making the experience that much more uncomfortable for them (and me).

How To Get an Aisle Seat

Depending on the carrier you’re flying, you may find seat selection charges when you’re seated in economy class. On long flights, airlines know that aisle seats are highly coveted, so you may see an extra charge to select one of these seats (whereas you might not see the same charge for a middle seat, for example). You can use a card like The Platinum Card^® from American Express and its up-to-$200 annual airline incidental fee credit (enrollment required) to help offset some of these charges.

Having elite status is a huge benefit as well, as you normally don’t have to pay extra for these seats. You can also usually select an economy seat with more legroom for free, too, such as American’s Main Cabin Extra or JetBlue’s Even More Space.

Times I Prefer a Window Seat

While I almost always choose an aisle seat on my flights, there are 2 exceptions where I may consider sitting in a window seat.

If I know I won’t have to use the bathroom and want to get some rest, I may choose a window seat since I won’t be disturbed by other passengers trying to leave the row. While this isn’t foolproof (you never know when you might have to use the restroom), there are times when I will intentionally book a window seat so I know I can get some rest.

The other exception is on a flight where I know I will get some incredible views out the window. If the city is known for having a very memorable takeoff or landing (such as Washington, D.C.’s Reagan National Airport (DCA) and the river visual approach), I might choose a window seat just to get a good look outside.

Final Thoughts

I’m a huge fan of aisle seats on planes, and find the extra legroom and convenience of being able to get up and out of my seat to be well worth it. For me, I’ll go out of my way to fly on a route where I know there’s a good aisle seat, simply because I know that comfort will be important to me, especially on a long flight. On your next flight, be sure to choose an aisle seat for a little more room!